Posts Tagged ‘visual supports in autism’

The best way to help a child with an ASD cope is to first understand the way they think.

Typically a child with an ASD will be a visual thinker, this means they will think in pictures; this is known as visual thought.

What does this mean: Being a visual thinker means they understand what they see, better than what they hear. For example visual learners learn through thinking in illustrations, a bit like playing a movie, instead of actual words and ideas.

Consequently, they benefit significantly from the use of autistic visual supports and strategies. Therefore, for many children with autism spectrum disorder, words or language are secondary.

When giving instructions to a child with autism, it is advisable to try to avoid long sentences of verbal information.

It is recommended that visual cues and symbols help the child with an ASD better grasp what is expected of them or what is being taught.

Consequently, by using visual supports in autism to teach social skills and behaviors the child with an ASD will better grasp the skills they struggle to master.

Children with autism spectrum disorder generally prefer or are more able to grasp rote memory, routines and repetition.

Visual supports in autism reflect these abilities using visual images and small amounts of appropriate text, making it easier for the child with an ASD to understand the skill or behavior being re-enforced or learnt.

Many parents and teachers of autistic students use visual supports in autism to teach social skills and behaviors such as, asking questions, calming down, having a conversation, teaching about personal space, even hygiene issues can be tackled using autistic visual supports.

Probably the most significant autistic visual support being used are autistic social skills stories, these are generally written by experts and encompass all the right ingredients to help an child with an ASD learn social and communication skills and behaviors, as well as cope with routine changes.

Autistic social skills stories answer the appropriate “wh” questions – who, where, why, when and what as well as “HOW” and give an insight into the thoughts and feelings of others which is an area of marked weakness in most autistic individuals.

It is recommended that autistic social skills stories are used to help children with autism spectrum disorder cope and manage behaviors, situations, events and skills they struggle with.

Autistic social skills stories help alleviate anxieties surrounding learning and carrying out social and communication skills. They can benefit the child with an ASD by showing them visually how, when, what and why.

Many teachers of autistic students use autistic social skills stories in the classroom with great affect.

To download or learn more about social stories visit the following sites:

There are many aspects of an autistic child’s environment and everyday activities which will benefit from visual supports for autism.

Using social skills stories – Social stories are word and picture-based stories, much like a comic strip conversation, written to help the child with autism understand and feel more comfortable with skills, activities, communication and social situations.

Social stories are normally written in a specific manner, from the autistic child’s point of view and always using first person text and visual images. By answering the important “wh” questions – who, where, why, when and what as well as giving an insight into how other people may feel or think.

Using visual schedules – Visual schedules are a set of pictures that communicate a series of activities or the steps of a specific activity. A visual schedule can help the child with autism understand and manage their daily activities, which reduces stress and anxiety.

Using visual supports in autism such as flash cards – A common problem for children with autism spectrum disorder is their ability to communicate. Flash cards are a strategy which can help to increase vocabulary, promote language development, and strengthen communication skills when teaching.

All of these strategies are useful for individuals with autism and related conditions.

To learn more about how social skills stories can benefit your child with an ASD and gain immediate downloads of social stories for autistic children visit: http://www.autismsocialstories.com

Where you will find a selection of social skills stories for autistic children and young people

To learn more about visual supports in autism such as flash cards and visual schedules visit:

For children with autism spectrum disorder communication difficulties both verbal and non-verbal are common.

For typically developing children communication skills are learnt through everyday observations and interactions, the environment, their families and peers.

But for a child with ASD this naturally learnt skill is missing. For children with autism spectrum disorder our world is confusing, we do not always say what we mean, we may tell white lies so as not to offend someone we use sarcasm, wit and humor daily.

However the ability to use communication other than literally is not easy for the autistic individual. Most autistic children will have difficulties with the use of language.

For example if you ask an autistic individual “do I look fat in this”, expect an honest answer! An individual with autism will be blatantly honest even if it offends, may misunderstand humor, wit, sarcasm, intonation, rhythm, word and sentence meanings. They may misread non-verbal communication and be subject to bullying and teasing, appear aloof even rude.

Communication difficulties for children with autism spectrum disorder are common. Research suggests teaching communication skills to autistic children needs to be done directly through the use of visual supports. The vast majority of children with autism spectrum disorder are visual thinkers and learners, meaning they think and learn in pictures.

Therefore using visual supports in autism is beneficial for teaching communication skills to autistic children. Since their introduction twenty years ago autistic social stories have become one of the major visual supports in autism and are widely trusted by parents, teachers, therapists and professionals working and caring for autistic children and young people.

Social stories were first developed by therapist Gray as a means of teaching communication to autistic children.

By following a specific formula the autistic social stories can guide a child with ASD much like a role model, taking them step by step through the skill or situation they are struggling with.

Using visual images and first person text much like a comic script and using the social cues as guidance. The social story answers the “wh” questions (who, where, why, when and what) allowing the child with ASD a chance to practice the skill or behavior making them feel more comfortable with and in the situation or skill that they are confused by or struggle with.

A social story is short and visual using four main sentence types to describe in detail, giving clear focus to the main points of the skill or behavior the social cues.

Communication difficulties for children with autism spectrum disorder can be addressed with social stories.

For children with autism communication both verbal and non-verbal is an area of difficulty.

A typically developing child will naturally learn communication skills from their environment, family, parents and peers, by watching and picking up on social cues and interactions.

However this natural skill for picking up and learning social and communication skills is missing in children with autism. Generally autistic children live in a literal world and are not interested in people watching or picking up social etiquettes and cues.

Most autistic children will have difficulties with the use of language and will not understand expressive language, wit, humor, sarcasm and so on. They will have difficulties with intonation, rhythm, word and sentence meanings.

It is universally believed that teaching communication skills to autistic children needs to be done directly through the use of visual supports. This is a tried, tested and proven method used by parents, teachers and professionals and is significantly successful.

Experts agree the use of visual supports in autism is an important part of teaching communication skills to autistic children. Since their introduction almost twenty years ago autistic social stories have become a major tool in teaching these skills.

Social stories were first developed twenty years ago by therapist Gray as a means of teaching communication to the autistic children she worked with. They have since evolved dramatically into the visual supports in autism used today.

Following a specific formula social stories are short visual descriptions of a certain task or skill written following a set pattern using four main sentence types to describe in detail, giving clear focus to the main points of the skill or behavior the social cues.

Widely used as a tool for aiding communication difficulties with autism social stories are used affectively by parents, teachers and other professionals to help overcome the many issues arising from issues surrounding the complex communication difficulties with autism.

However even though experts in autism agree social stories have a significant role to play in teaching communication skills to autistic children it is still for many parents a struggle to gain access to this valuable tool.

The best way to help an autistic child cope is to first understand the way they think.

Generally autistic children think in pictures. This thinking process is known as visual thought. Children with autism spectrum disorder tend to be visual learners.

Meaning they understand what they see, better than what they hear.Visual learners, learn through thinking in illustrations, a bit like playing a movie, instead of actual words and ideas.

Therefore, they benefit significantly from the use of autistic visual supports and strategies. Therefore, for many children with autism spectrum disorder, words or language are secondary.

When giving instructions to children with autism, it is advisable to try to avoid long sentences of verbal information.

It is recommended that visual cues and symbols help autistic children better grasp what is expected of them or what is being taught.

Consequently, by using visual supports in autism to teach social skills and behaviors the autistic child will better grasp the skills they struggle to master.

Children with autism generally prefer or are more able to grasp rote memory, routines and repetition.

Visual supports in autism reflect these abilities using visual images and small amounts of appropriate text, making it easier for the autistic child to understand the skill or behavior being re-enforced or learnt.

Many parents and teachers of autistic students use visual supports in autism to teach social skills and behaviors such as, asking questions, calming down, having a conversation, teaching about personal space, even hygiene issues can be tackled using autistic visual supports.

Probably the most significant autistic visual supports being used are autistic social skills stories, these are generally written by experts and encompass all the right ingredients to help an autistic child learn social and communication skills and behaviors, as well as cope with routine changes.

It is recommended that autistic social skills stories are used to help children with autism spectrum disorder cope and manage behaviors, situations, events and skills they struggle with. Autistic social skills stories help alleviate anxieties surrounding learning and carrying out social and communication skills. They can benefit the autistic child by showing them visually how, when, what and why.

Many teachers of autistic students use autistic social skills stories in the classroom with great affect.

To download or learn more about social stories visit any of the following sites:

Children with autism spectrum disorder are generally visual learners often referred to as “visual thinkers”.

Teachers report better success rates using visual supports in autism teaching; especially if an activity is transferred from verbal to visual.

Using visual supports in autism teaching allows communication to occur on a verbal and nonverbal level. The idea is that using visual supports helps nonverbal students learn expressively as well as receptively.

Autistic students benefit from having access to visual supports such as social stories and PECS throughout their day.

Autism visual supports can help remind autistic students how to perform tasks such as assembly by showing them visually where they should be or what they should be doing.

By giving autistic students social stories you are helping them by providing them social, behavior and communication cues.Â

Children with autism spectrum disorder can focus on the visual images and text in social stories which can help reduce anxieties surrounding tasks, events and occasions the autistic child may struggle with.

Children with autism spectrum disorder display difficulties with speech and language, which can make even the simplest on instruction difficult at times.

Because of these problems in understanding, some autistic children may become anxious and confused by certain times in the school day or by certain lessons.

For example recess, assembly, art lessons and P.E. This is where social stories for autistic students can benefit the child by providing visual supports in autism teaching the autistic student how to cope with whatever is troubling or confusing them.

To download various social stories for autistic students as well as other social stories for everyday activities such as tooth brushing, showering even how to visit grandparents, go shopping or out to eat can be downloaded from sites such as:

More children are being diagnosed as autistic than ever before the average being 1 in ever 150 recorded births in the US.

With the ever increasing numbers of children with autism being diagnosed as autistic more pressure is being felt by schools especially those mainstream school with teachers who have not necessarily had sufficient training in how to teach autistic students.

Therefore, the ever present pressure can take a toll on our education system.

On average 40% of autistic students in mainstream education will suffer some form of bullying from their peers. Why? Lack of understanding is partly to blame and lack of proper supervision and provision for the autistic student is also to take part of the blame.

A recent study showed approximately 75% of mainstream teachers would like more training on how to teach children with autism.

The internet now makes it possible for teachers and parents to find appropriate autism resources and information that can be used to help teach children with autism.

Experts such as Speech therapists, OT and even doctors are now using the internet more to help reach out and give support to parents and teachers when they need it.

Help with autism resources such as social skills stories, PECS cards, flash cards and schedules as well as behavior plans and other visual supports in autism.

Autistic educators are sharing their knowledge and autism resources with their colleagues in mainstream education making life easier for everyone to obtain appropriate visual supports in autism.

One such autism resource on offer is autism social skills stories used widely by autistic educators to help teach kids with autism social skills and behaviors, like how to cope with recess, the dinner hall, assembly, P.E. lessons and so on.

Kids with autism benefit from the use of autism social skills stories and as such they have been used for many years now both in the autism classroom, schools and in the home by parents of kids with autism.

Social skills stories can be implemented quickly and easily bringing relief to the autism classroom as well as those parents and teachers that need help.

Downloading autism social skills stories has never been easier with the use of the world wide web; and there are many site now offering social skills stories to teachers and parents of kids with autism.

Some of these sites offering genuine and expertly written and sourced autism resources are:

The social skills story will describe in detail the situation and give focus to a few key points: these are the important social cues.

The social skills story will give KEY information about the event, and the reactions people with autism may expect to occur in the situation. Plus it will give the actions and reactions that might be expected of them, and why.

People with autism are generally visual learners and will gain more benefit from visual supports and prompts, which makes autism social stories ideal when teaching vital social skills.

Studies show people with autism respond well to autism social stories and evidence suggests a vast improvement in social skills learning capacity when social skills stories are implemented.

Implementing autism social stories has been made all the more easier with the use of the internet. Social skills stories can be sourced quickly and easily and implemented much quicker.

Have you ever stopped to consider how often you use visual supports during the day? How about when you look at a TV Guide, use a recipe, look at a mapâ€¦

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All of these are visual supports. Yes of cause we could live without visual supports, but just consider how limited our lives would beâ€¦no internet, newspapers, maps etc!

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A similar rule applies to autism, autistic people also need visual supports, and pretty similar to the visual supports we ourselves use â€œeverydayâ€.

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Visual supports in autism include visual timetables, autism social stories, communication systems, PECS, flashcards and other visual supports used for autistic coping strategies.

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As we are already aware autistic children and people think and learn visually.

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Therefore, it is essential that â€œvisual supports in autismâ€, is given great consideration. Autistic people have difficulties with communication, and sometimes will lack the ability to speak, or their language may be restricted.

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Which in itself can cause problems, but when this is coupled with their lack of social awareness also, it can prove to be a recipe for social mistakes.

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Social mistakes can cause embarrassment and stress, which can lead to anxiety and sometimes trigger violent or aggressive outburst, which then can become a vicious circle.

One excellent tool is the use of autism social stories. Social Stories can be used for teaching social skills to children with autism and related disabilities.

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Social skill stories presentÂ appropriate social behaviors for situations, which include answers to questions the autistic person will need to know to interact appropriately with othersâ€¦for example, answers to who, what, where, when, and why.

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Autism social stories can provide an individual with accurate information about those situations they may find difficult or confusing.

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The social story will describe the situation in detail and focus is given to a few key points. These are the social cuesâ€¦the events and reactions the individual may expect in the situation, the actions and reactions that might be expected of them, and why.

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Using Autism social stories will increase your childâ€™s understanding of why things happen and why they are expected to act in certain ways or do certain things, like washing their teeth, or using public toilets.

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You can see an example social story at www.autismsocialstories.com Studies have shown autistic people respond well to social stories. Visually social stories can be pictorially rich and colorful-giving the autistic person clear social cues and prompts for managing and understanding the situation, task, event or activity.

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Immediately download and begin using appropriate visual supports in autism such as autism social stories, to help your autistic child, teen or adult find appropriate coping strategies for all situations they find stressful, confusing or difficult.

To view an example social story and immediately download appropriate autism social stories visit us at: